Introducing:Shay DoronFrom Israel to Christ the King to the University of Maryland.

Christ the King High School in Queens, NY, has a long history of producing outstanding basketball players, including Chamique Holdsclaw, Sue Bird and Clare Droesch. That's why Shay Doron decided to leave her native Israel to play for CTK Head Coach Bob Mackey, even though shešs the only Jewish girl at the Catholic school.

Before moving back to the U.S., where she had spent time before her teens, Doron attended Rotenberg High School in Tel Aviv. She was a standout for the Israeli national team, leading to groundbreaking success in European championship tournaments. But her family soon realized that to fulfill her potential as a basketball player, she had to return to the U.S.

Since her arrival two years ago, Doron has proved she's more than worthy of following in the footsteps of her illustrious predecessors. As a junior, the 5-9 shooting guard averaged 17.1 points and six steals per game, while leading CTK all the way to the 2002 New York State Federation Finals, where they fell to Bergtraum High School.

Heading into her senior season, Doron was the third-ranked guard by the All Star Girls' Report and listed in the USA Today Super 25. The Gatorade Player of the Year in New York last season was also a fifth team All-American on Street & Smith's and earned MVP and All Tournament honors at the Nike Tournament of Champions.

This year, Doron has had similar success, as CTK has gone 22-1 en route to its 19th consecutive Brooklyn-Queens Diocesan title. Once again, the New York State Federation playoffs beckon in the upcoming weeks.

Doron, who was recently selected for the McDonald's All-American Game, was the focus of a lengthy story in the Baltimore Jewish Times. You can read it by clicking here.

In November, Doron signed a Letter of Intent to attend the University of Maryland, where she'll play for Head Coach Brenda Frese. "We are ecstatic to get a player of Shay's caliber to join our Terrapin family," said Frese. "She is a versatile guard that can break down defenses in a variety of ways but still feels comfortable enough to run the point when needed.

"Her experience with the Israeli National Team helped her develop a leadership style that is mature beyond her years and we expect to see her make an immediate impact in our backcourt next season," continued Frese. "Having only played in the United States for two years, we think Shay has only scratched the surface of her abilities on the basketball court. She is going to be an exciting player to watch during her career at Maryland."

And maybe even beyond the next four years. "This is just one step," Doron told the Queens Courier of her decision to go to Maryland. "My dream is to play in the WNBA."